Murder propaganda

In recent days, Haaretz has reached new heights—or rather, depths. Two particularly repugnant pieces stood out. One bore the headline: “Soldiers testify: The IDF deliberately fires at Gazans near aid centers.” This isn’t collateral damage—it’s framed as intentional shooting at desperate people seeking flour.

Another headline read: “Consensus among leading mortality researchers: the death toll in Gaza is far higher than known figures.” How can someone not come to hate Israel when fed this narrative? Try explaining to readers worldwide that the second article was written by Nir Hasson, who in 2022 openly praised Palestinians “who risk their lives resisting occupation and oppression” as heroes.

Now to the substance. There actually are testimonies—very detailed ones—about what’s happening to Gazans in need of food. Reports have emerged that Hamas has killed residents searching for sacks of flour, accusing them of collaborating with American aid centers. These reports include letters and statements from families whose sons fell into Hamas’s treacherous hands.

You might think this was a leak from Israel’s nonexistent public diplomacy ministry. But, surprise: the following account was published in Al-Hayat al-Jadida, the official Palestinian Authority (PA) daily, two weeks ago.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida, in a report translated by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), included multiple firsthand accounts. The Shaheen family from Deir al-Balah reported that their son, Siraj al-Din Hisham Shaheen, was shot dead by Hamas terrorists. The Al-Hilu family said five of its members were murdered by Hamas.

Hiba al-Missal, sister of victim Osama al-Missal, gave the most detailed account. She said a Hamas unit called “Al-Siham” stopped a bus carrying her brother and other young men on their way to an aid center. They were taken off, tied up, accused of “collaboration,” and shot.

The attackers then chased down the wounded men to Nasser Hospital, shot them again and blocked doctors from treating them. Osama and another Palestinian were killed. Hiba ended her account by saying: “We don’t want revenge. We want truth and justice.”

On June 17, the BBC reported that “Israeli forces kill 51 Palestinians waiting for flour,” using drones and tanks. Reuters’ Nidal al-Mughrabi raised the number to 59. An Israeli left-wing website put the number at 70. But why would the IDF deliberately fire at civilians seeking food? There is no reason.

The source for these claims is Mahmoud Basal, self-styled spokesperson for “civil defense” in Gaza. The IDF has identified him as a Hamas operative. Even White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mocked the BBC’s reporting in a brief but devastating rebuttal.

A user named Aizenberg on X has compiled extensive evidence debunking Hamas claims, exposing executions carried out by Hamas and taking apart the supposed “consensus” article in Haaretz. The problem is that almost all reports coming out of Gaza are written by journalists working under Hamas control—with a metaphorical gun to their heads. Haaretz, on the other hand, doesn’t need a gun. It publishes Hamas propaganda willingly.

Even Al-Hayat al-Jadida points fingers at Israel—but also, and primarily, at Hamas. The issue is that almost no one in the West sees these Palestinian reports. The most widely read Israeli paper in the world is an anti-Israel propaganda outlet.

As American journalist Jeffrey Goldberg—not a right-winger—once wrote, articles in Haaretz are frequently cited by neo-Nazi propaganda. That was nine years ago. Things have only worsened since.

I checked with the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, who categorically denied the claims. Out of caution, initial responses often say the matter is “being examined,” and only later is a detailed denial issued. But by then, the damage is done. And even when the IDF does issue a denial, it’s often buried at the bottom of the article, like a legal disclaimer.

They ignore the fact that Hamas embeds itself deeper within civilian areas—both above and below ground—than in any conflict in history. They ignore that wherever radical Islam rises, the result is destruction and bloodshed. And they ignore the clearest truth of all: none of this bloodshed would have occurred if Hamas cared about Palestinians as much as it cares about destroying Israel.

They also ignore video evidence of Hamas terrorists shooting into Palestinian crowds. Despite the tireless work of people like Aizenberg, who conduct rigorous investigations, the horror propaganda continues. Exposure to the lies outweighs exposure to truth a hundredfold. It could be otherwise. We’ve discussed this before. And we’ll return to it again in the future.